Picked up my new cabs lastweek! Just thought I'd post some pics of the new switchblade. Lots of new changes this season, not a lot of wind around but managed to try the 10 out and found the bar pressure much lighter and the turning alot faster. Will put a review up when I get a stronger day.
Awesome!!! If kites get faster, lighter and more powerful, with more wind range every year, we will soon just need a 2m to cover us from 5-50 knots.......but obviously BWS riders will only need a 0.5m because they are so much more powerful(bigger) than all other 0.5m's........
Awesome!!! If kites get faster, lighter and more powerful, with more wind range every year, we will soon just need a 2m to cover us from 5-50 knots.......but obviously BWS riders will only need a 0.5m because they are so much more powerful(bigger) than all other 0.5m's........
Yeah had a onshore 15k NE last week and had a good run with it. Now I'm comparing it to my 2012 10m switchblade. The first big difference for me was the bar pressure. I'd compare it to the north fuse bar pressure, light but you can still feel where the kite is sitting. The next major improvement is the turning speed. Now for those of you who have tried kitelooping earlier model switchies 10m or bigger they can be reasonably slow. I would compare the turning speed and feel to a 2012 naish park. And lastly cabrinha have wax coated there new lines making it quick and easy for setup and no tangles. Hope that gives you a quick overview. get out and give one a demo!
demoed the 7m 2013 in crazy wa fronts yesterday, first session was 16-22 knots and massive bombing waves at leighton. Kite has about 10% better low end than my 2012 vegas sooo.. not alot really for a delta. Twin tip was a struggle in these winds and not much enjoyment was had. Wake style setting gives alot better bar feel and a minuscule less depower so i would deff be riding that day to day because the bar pressure on this thing in freeride mode is non existent! unhooked is where the power is at and it felt a little dangerous with onshore gusty winds even under powered so i cant really comment for how well it performs unhooked.
That being said once on a strappless surf board i was in having fun again, kite is fast but not too fast like the vegas at times and has plenty of feel and stability to ride it down the lines and catch it in time to pull you out.
2nd session was 22-40 knots :) at woodies and yeehah kite has awesome hangtime and again a good bar feel to create some awesome boosts (i was only riding in wakestyle mode from then on) got back on a strapless again as there where some little crests rolling in and i can not really fault it while carving or catching waves. Compared to a rebel it still has a lighter bar which works as when gusts come through you arnt pulled forwards to much before sheeting. Never droped it, it never stalled or did anything unexpected.
and then the 45 knot gust came through, two 8m rebels popped on the beach and all the 7m just fully depowered and kept it at 12.. this was nothing like i had experianced before in terms of wind power and the switchy rode it though in the air alonside a 7m fuse feeling safe the whole time. The kite looks really well presented and some of the best designs i have seen on a kite, not a whole lot of dacron on the wind tips though, everything seems to be built light.
the bar is actually not as ugly as release pictures may indicate and i never had a problem with the rubber casing over the depower lines after riding north kites for ages. The lines are stand out.. like sombody mentioned they are covered in a wax and just feel incredibaly strong and durable. The bridle and pullys are kindof oldschool but i was told the setup is proven and lasts with minimal maintainence.
in short it flies alot like the fuse but feels a little lighter in the air and less snappy however maybe less bottom end. The kite is desinged to unhook even though i didnt have an oppurtunity to capitalise on this that session so i guess you could say its like a Fuse + with a dorky looking control bar, better lines but not as well built (tough) canopy.
